Officials in eastern Logar province say the Taliban is a major threat to girls’ schools, 40 percent of the girls not attending the schools in the province.

According to local education department officials, the Taliban has banned girls from receiving secondary education and only a low numbers attending the schools, despite the threats being posed by the militant group.

“The Taliban informs the teachers via phone call that the girls should not come to school after sixth grade,” said Safiullah, the Head of Education Department in Mohammad Agha district. “The [security] threats have prevented 40 percent of the students from going to schools,” he added.

The Deputy Head of Education Department of Logar has urged to security forces to take serious steps in countering the threats being posed by the insurgents.

“The girls facing 90 percent of the threats while going to school, we urged the security forces to pay serious attention in regard,” Mina Sadat said.

Afghan girls were banned from receiving an education and women were not allowed to work or vote under the five-year rule of the Taliban regime.

Since the group was toppled in 2001, women have won back those rights. But the situation remains precarious and the future uncertain as the Afghan government and U.S. officials try to negotiate with the Taliban for a peaceful settlement to the end of the war, which entered its 16th year.